Last week just before church I sat in my usual pew beside JDaniel4 and JDaniel3 thinking about what I want to write about this week. I sat and thought about all the changes that will take place this year. (JDaniel starting kindergarten, my going back to work, etc..) Those long days of play, doing housework whenever it fit into the day, and running errands during days that may be filled with different things. Those things will still need to be done but, they may have to be scheduled a little more.
There are other things that even with long mostly free days that don’t always get done. I have been terrible at doing my Bible reading and exercising. They just haven’t been set as a priority. When I get a free minute, I blog or work on a project or watch t.v.
How am I going to work on having the strength to take care of others in my life?
- Time with God
- Exercise
- Communicating with Others (Friends, Family, and More)
- Eating Right
I need to start the morning by reading God’s word and praying instead of social media. Most mornings I get up before my guys and schedule my Facebook and Twitter posts. I add my latest post to Pinterest, Google +, link ups, and several other places. I really need to start my day by connecting with God. During the last year I would try to have a devotional time right before bed and I would fall asleep.
Exercise has to become a priority. I am a forty eight year old mom of a preschooler. If my muscles are not challenged to get stronger, they will prevent me from keeping up with a boy who can now almost outrun me. I would love to say that I was going to use my gym membership more. I really need to use it. I think I will have to start by exercising at home and in our neighborhood. JDaniel has to strengthen his core for swimming. I so need to exercise along with him.
I realized when I wrote Christmas cards that the cards I was writing were the first communication that I had had with friends all year. Before I got married I had the most amazing friends that lived near by and that I saw them often. When I moved to South Carolina, I did a terrible job of keeping up with them. This year I need to be better at knowing what is going on with their lives. Talking with friends can help me feel stronger emotionally and mentally.
You know, I am one of those moms. The one who gives and gives and gives until she breaks.
You are right. How can we give our families our best if we fail to take care of ourselves.
I love your resolution. I need to rethink mine.
Meant to add… sharing this on FB — I know a few others who could benefit from reading it!
GOOD FOR YOU!!! Those resolutions sound very good and making time for those things (especially God) will be so fulfilling. 🙂
I think those are wonderful goals, Deirdre. Good luck and happy new year!
Yes these are fantastic goals, thanks for sharing!
xx
Great goals! You are so right, moms do need to put themselves first, otherwise they are just going to burn out. Plus, it shows their children how important it is to take care of yourself.
Great goals! I RARELY take time for myself – a bath alone here and there is about all I get. 🙂 …but I’m ok with that!
Yes, I am guilty. The problem is, a household works its best when Mom is healthy and happy, too. This year I am working on organizing. I need to organize my time, my home and my priorities. Best of luck on your journey!
These are wonderful goals and I hope you achieve them. I also need to remember to put my diet and exercise first. I spend too much time running from one thing to another and don’t make time for essentials like these which in the end would make me more productive and improve the quality of time I spend with my family. Thanks for the inspiration!
That is so true!!! Lots of great reads here. I’ll have to come back to finish!! Thanks for always posting great stuff!!!!
These are great goals! I do pretty well, but only because I know I fall apart if I’m not taking care of myself.
My brother and SIL just bought a house in your region of SC, so if we go visit them maybe we can get together with the boys!
I am trying to make exercise a priority this year too. I always start out good at the beginning of the year though and then become a slacker.
Great goals. It’s funny how we often don’t do what we preach and don’t eat enough fruits and veggies while trying to convince our kids of their merits. Good luck going back to work – as a working Mom I fully acknowledge the challenges of working, blogging and parenting 🙂
It seems that part of the definition of being a mom is not putting yourself first, but we need to be sure we are at least toward the front of the line, right?
😉
What wonderful goals! I have to sit down and make my goals of 2013! I do know I want to spend less time on the computer though,lol! Happy new Year!
Love it! I have a few goals for the year too…one is spending more time in God’s Word. I am not a morning person, but I love waking up early to read His word!
Wonderful goals. You are a wise mom putting God as your first goal.I say that being well aware that I don’t always start my day with my devotionals but when I do, my day seems to go so much smoother… not worry free mind you but smoother.
Wishing you blessings and good luck with your new job.
Annette
Exercise and diet, two of my favorite NY resolutions to break. But this year…
Super post, perfect for January. I wish you all the best in 2013!
Fantastic post and wonderful message ~ (A Creative Harbor aka ArtMusedog and Carol ^_^)
I understand your being a mom and trying to
eat well.. I went through the same thing and
now that my three kids are out on their own
I have finally gone vegetarian and I feel so
much better. My one daughter is totally vegan
and her three young boys are also.
Good luck with your goals.
Happy New year
Sandy
It’s hard to find balance. Even though my kids are all grown, I still try to help them as much as I can, sometimes at the expense of my own need for rest especially as I grow older.
I guess we just have to do what we can with what we have and hope for the best…
xxoo,
RMW
These are wonderful goals! Thanks!!
I definitely relate to this. I’m sure it strikes a chord with moms everywhere.
some days you’re first, most days we are last, but there has to be a balance (and fruit and veggies!) in there somewhere. be kind to yourself.
It’s all about prioritizing. And sometimes we have to put ourselves at least in the top 3, right? :p Good luck!
I love your goals! Wishing you the best in 2013!
Your goals are fantastic. GOOD FOR YOU!! I definitely need to take a long look at my prioritizing.
You have some great goals! Why is so hard for us to eat healthy why are feeding our kids the good stuff? You can do this…we are all in this together! 🙂
Great goals.I am hoping to exercise more this year.
Good luck with all your goals and resolutions!
Great goals!!! Ours are very similar. It’s so important to take care of ourselves!!!
Many similar things I’m going to be working on.
Where will you start working? Did I miss that announcement?
Hey! Coming to you from Mama Kat’s!
I have always said that if I just ate what I make my kids eat, I’d be good to go. Maybe that should be part of my goal too!! I also did a word for the year. I’m #14 in the link up.
Glad to have found you!
Solid goals. Time with God ensures a solid start to the day. Eating what your child eats, when he eats is such a great way of keeping yourself on track. Happy New Year and good luck!
Your wants for 2013 will no doubt fill you with strength inside and out…take it from a mom who has put everyone and everything first for years…..for too long.
I started seriously running…getting up at the crack of dawm 6 days a week running….I was sidelined with some energy issues for a few months but am back at those early runs in the snow now (best running is winter running…such an accomplishment to do it)….I do believe that putting myself first helped me navigate the energy issues (tyhroid) until medication could start doing it’s thing. Without putting myself first I think recovering my energy would have been a lot tougher. Not to mention that putting myself first by not only exersising faithfully but by eating well helped me droppped 55 lbs.
So cheers to your 2013 word!!! It will serve you well.
Stopping by from Mama Kats.
What great goals and “strength” seems to be the perfect word to accomplish them.
You are so right. I’ve never been able to figure out why it is so hard for women to take care of themselves (me included). It just does not come naturally! I constantly need to work on this.
those are great goals and resolutions. My new goal of communicating with others is to start letter writing again. Hope it works! {:-Deb
Over Christmas, with two of our boys and their families here, Rod knew that I was exhausted and in pain. “Why do you do this every year? It always wears you out so much!” My response, “I’m a mom and that’s what moms do!” Men just don’t understand the “mom” concept.
great post…
I plan to do some changes in the new year as well
What a wonderful post! I, too, need to work on letting the Internet go by setting times to be on and working. It’s so important to take care of ourselves – body, mind, and soul. I really need to get myself moving and exercising much more than I do now. I think it really helps, but it’s easier to cast aside. Thanks for sharing your goals!
Finding balance with this seems so difficult.
I know so many women who do the ‘drain me’ type of life with family…
…and others that are incredibly self-absorbed to the exclusion of even small children.
If I had to be one extreme or the other, it would be the first.
I work hard to integrate a bit of the second philosophy into my life every day.
Thanks for sharing this Grand post.
You’ve given us a lot of food for thought!
A +